Bkick-pe-ess



NTTE@ STATES PATEN T FFTCE.

JNO. B. COLLEN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,012, dated January 1, 1856.

T0 aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. COLLEN, of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andv useful Improvement in Brick Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line a:

Similar characters of reference in the several figures denote the same part of the machine.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of the machine with stationary molds, in which move pistons so actuated as to have an intermittent action sufficient to allow a movable gate against which the clay is compressed, to be lifted by an arrangement of cams and levers, in order that the eXtreme effort of the piston stroke shall deliver the brick.

The details of construction and operation will be readily understood from the following description and reference to the drawing, in which- A is the frame of the machine, supporting t-he main shaft B, moved by steam, horse or manual power. To this shaft are attached the cams C, the number depending on the size of the machine. For each cam C there is a double piston P, the middle portion of which consists of a frame D, the inner surface of its vertical portions receiving the direct action of the cam. At each end of the machine are stationary molds m, communicating at top with a clay chamber E. In the drawing the details of but one of these molds are given. The portion of the molds which open outward, is covered by the gate G, which is movable vertically in guides, so as to be lifted by the levers Z, by the action on the short arms of said levers of the cams c on shaft B, as will be fully set forth. The clay chamber E is furnished with a heavy roller R which accommodates itself to the quantity of clay in said chamber, and is drawn to and fro by connection with the lever H, whose fulcrum is at z', and to which motion is communicated by the action of groove CZ of drum L on the pin z5 of said lever. rI`he non-adhesive covering of the piston heads is represented by b (Fig. 4L).

The operation of this machine is as follows: The clay after being tempered in any of the ordinary mills or mixers, is thrown into the chamber E. On giving motion to the shaft B the roller R will be made to traverse the chamber E, and by its weight force the clay into the mold boxes m in front of the pistons P. The pressure of the roller a in the toe m of the cam C drives the piston forward and produces the compression of the clay between the inner surface of the gate G, and the head of the piston, thereby forming the brick. At the termination of that compression by the toe a of the cam C, the motion of the piston ceases, and the small cams c begin their pressure on the Short arms of the levers Z, causing their long arms to lift the gate G from the outer face of the brick, simultaneously with which movement the toe 2 of cam acting on the projection f on opposite side slightly withdraws the piston to permit the free upward motion of the gate. At the completion of this elevation, the toe y of the cam C comes in contact with the frame D on the side of the acting piston and pressing the piston to its eXtreme stroke delivers the brick into the boX i), or to any suitable conveying arrangement. The backward motion of the piston then begins, and the cams c releasing the levers Z, the gate G drops, preparatory to the formation of another brick. The roller R meanwhile during the retraction of the pistons, forcing the clay into the mold boXes so as to insure a full supply on the return stroke of the pistons.

The construction of the machine admits of the alternate action of the pistons and molds at either end as will be seen by Fig. 3. The action of the piston on one side being the reverse of its opposite.

The elastic non-adhesive covering on the piston admits of the release of the brick without tearing, and during the retraction of the piston draws from the mold any adhering clay which by hardening would tear the surface of the bricks during their delivery.

I make no claim to stationary mold boxes of themselves, nor to the use of cams in producing the intermittent action of the piston, nor to the peculiar shape of cams.

What I do claim as new and of my oWn In testimony whereof7 I have hereunto invention is signed my name before two subscribing Wit- 10 The employment of stationary mold boxes nesses. in combination with the vertically moving 5 gate, actuated substantially as set forth, and JOHN B' COLLEN" the intermittent Lotion of the pistons, Where- Vitnesses: by the brick is pressed and delivered, by a WM. B. SCHOENER,

single piston stroke as specified. 1 F. HAGENMAN. 

